History of Howard, (Centre County) Pennsylvania United States of America

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William Fisher Packer, governor of Pennsylvania, was born in Howard, Centre county, Pa., April 2, 1807; son of James and Charity (Bye) Packer; grandson of James and Rose (Mendenhall) Packer, and of Hezekiah and Sarah (Pettit) Bye, and a descendant of Philip and Ann (Coates) Packer. Philip Packer, an English Quaker, was among the first immigrants to West Jersey under the auspices of William Penn. His ancestors on both sides were Quakers. He attended the country school, and in 1820 apprenticed himself to his kinsman, Samuel J. Packer, editor of the Public Inquirer, at Sunbury, Pa. He worked in the office of the Patriot, at Bellefonte, Pa., and in the office of the Pennsylvania Intelligencer, published by Simon Cameron and David Krause, public printers at Harrisburg, where he remained until 1827. He studied law in the office of Joseph B. Anthony at Williamsport, Pa., in 1827, and in the fall of that year purchased in connection with John Brandon the Lycoming Gazette, conducted jointly until 1829, when he continued it alone, 1829-36. He was married Dec. 24, 1829, to Mary W., daughter of Peter W. Vanderbilt, of Williamsport, Pa. He was a delegate to the Democratic national convention at Baltimore, Md., in 1835, and in 1836 united with O. Barrett and Benjamin Parke in establishing The Keystone, at Harrisburg, which became the organ of the Democratic party in that state, and from which he retired in 1841. He was a member of the board of canal commissioners, 1839-41; auditor-general of the state, 1842-45; a representative in the state legislature, 1847-48, and speaker of that body both terms. He was a state senator, 1849-51; introducing and carrying through the bill to incorporate the Susquehanna railroad company, the beginning of railroad connections with Baltimore, Md. He was made president of the Susquehanna railroad company on its organization in June 1852, and upon its consolidation under the title of the Northern Central railway company, continued as a member of the board of directors. He managed the Lake Shore railroad from 1854 until its difficulties were settled, and was a delegate to the Democratic national convention at Cincinnati, Ohio, June 2, 1856, when he urged the nomination of James Buchanan. He was governor of Pennsylvania, 1858-61, and strongly opposed the secession of the southern states. He died in Williamsport, Pa., Sept. 27, 1870.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Howard, (Centre County) Pennsylvania

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